But almost five per cent of these defectives were telepathically sensitive.
Mary went straight to the sanctuary in the Seat where some of these dependents were cared for, with Lazarus Long at her heels. She braced the matron. “Where’s Little Stephen? I need him.”
“Keep your voice down,” the matron scolded. “Rest hour-you can’t.”
“Janice, I’ve got to see him,” Mary insisted. “This won’t wait. I’ve got to get a message out to all the Families-at once.”
The matron planted her hands on her hips. “Take it to the communication office. You can’t come here disturbing my children at all hours. I won’t have it.”
“Janice, please! I don’t dare use anything but telepathy. You know I wouldn’t do this unnecessarily. Now take me to Stephen.”
“It wouldn’t do you any good if I did. Little Stephen has had one of his bad spells today.”
“Then take me to the strongest sensitive who can possibly work. Quickly, Janice! The safety of every member may depend on it.”
“Did the trustees send you?”
“No, no! There wasn’t time!”
The matron still looked doubtful. While Lazarus was trying to recall how long it had been since he had socked a lady, she gave in. “All right-you can see Billy, though I shouldn’t let you. Mind you, don’t tire him out.” Still bristling, she led them along a corridor past a series of cheerful rooms and into one of them. Lazarus looked at the thing on the bed and looked away.
The matron went to a cupboard and returned with a hypodermic injector. “Does he work under a hypnotic?” Lazarus asked.
“No,” the matron answered coldly, “he has to have a stimulant to be aware of us at all.” She swabbed skin on the arm of the gross figure and made the injection. “Go ahead,” she said to Mary and lapsed into grim-mouthed silence.
The figure on the bed stirred, its eyes rolled loosely, then seemed to track. It grinned. “Aunt Mary!” it said. “Oooh! Did you bring Billy Boy something?’
“No,” she said gently. “Not this time, hon. Aunt Mary was in too much of a hurry. Next time? A surprise? Will that do?’
“All right,” it said docilely.
“That’s a good boy.” She reached out and tousled its hair; Lazarus looked away again. “Now will Billy Boy do something for Aunt Mary? A big, big favor?”
“Sure.”
“Can you hear your friends?”
“Oh, sure.”
“All of them?”
“Uh huh. Mostly they don’t say anything,” it added.
“Call to them.”
There was a very short silence. “They heard me.”
“Fine! Now listen carefully, Billy Boy: All the Families- urgent warning! Elder Mary Sperling speaking. Under an Action-in-Council the Administrator is about to arrest every revealed member. The Council directed him to use ‘full expedience’-and it is my sober judgment that they are determined to use any means at all, regardless of the Covenant, to try to squeeze out of us the so-called secret of our long lives. They even intend to use the tortures developed by the inquisitors of the Prophets!” Her voice broke. She stopped and pulled herself together. “Now get busy! Find them, warn them, hide them! You may have only minutes left to save them!”
Lazarus touched her arm and whispered; she nodded and went on:
“If any cousin is arrested, rescue him by any means at all! Don’t try to appeal to the Covenant, don’t waste time arguing about justice rescue him! Now move!”
She stopped and then spoke in a tired, gentle voice, “Did they hear us, Billy Boy?”
“Sure.”
“Are they telling their folks?”
“Uh huh. All but Jimmie-the-Horse. He’s mad at me,” it added confidentially.
“‘Jimmie-the-Horse’? Where is he?”
“Oh, where he lives.”
“In Montreal,” put in the matron. “There are two other sensitives there-your message got through. Are you finished?”
“Yes . . .” Mary said doubtfully. “But perhaps we had better have some other Seat relay it back.”
“No!” “But, Janice-”
“I won’t permit it. I suppose you had to send it but I want to give Billy the antidote now. So get out.”
Lazarus took her arm. “Come on, kid. It either got through or it didn’t; you’ve done your best. A good job, girl.”